Gretchen Carlson once sat at the center of one of cable news’ most powerful networks. But after a stunning legal battle that shook Fox News to its core, her life took a very different direction.
For years, Carlson had been one of the network’s most recognizable faces — a former Miss America turned television journalist with a polished presence and sharp reporting instincts. Yet the moment she stepped away from Fox in 2016, her career trajectory changed dramatically.
Today, many viewers still wonder: what happened to Gretchen Carlson after Fox News — and where is she now?
From violin prodigy to Miss America
Long before television fame, Gretchen Carlson’s path looked very different.
Music was her first passion. Carlson began playing the violin at just six years old and quickly showed remarkable talent. By the time she was 13, she had already performed with the Minnesota Orchestra — a rare achievement for someone so young. But another opportunity soon appeared.
While in high school, Carlson began competing in beauty pageants, showcasing not only her musical skills but also her confidence on stage. In 1988, she won the title of Miss Cottage Grove, followed by Miss Minnesota.
The following year, she took the national crown.
Carlson was named Miss America 1989, bringing national attention and opening doors beyond the pageant world. After her reign ended, she returned to academics and graduated from Stanford University, setting the stage for a career in journalism.
Rising through the ranks of television news
Carlson’s path to national television was not immediate.
Like many broadcasters, she began in smaller local markets, working as a reporter and anchor in places including Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. Those early years helped her build the experience needed for a larger platform.
Her big break came in 2000, when she joined CBS News as a correspondent. She later became co-anchor of the Saturday edition of The Early Show, gaining national exposure.
Five years later, another major opportunity arrived.
In 2005, Carlson joined Fox News, where she eventually became a co-host of the network’s popular morning program Fox & Friends. Her career continued to grow, and in 2013 she moved to primetime, hosting her own program titled The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson.
For a time, it appeared Carlson had firmly secured her place among Fox News’ most prominent personalities.
Then everything changed.
The lawsuit that shook Fox News
In June 2016, Fox News abruptly ended Carlson’s contract.
Less than two weeks later, she filed a lawsuit that would become one of the most consequential legal battles in the history of the network.
Carlson accused Fox News chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment and wrongful termination. In her complaint, she alleged that she had been fired after speaking up about what she described as a hostile workplace culture and repeated harassment.
She also claimed that her former Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy had treated her in a sexist and dismissive manner.
Ailes strongly denied the allegations, stating that Carlson’s lawsuit was retaliation for her declining ratings and calling the claims “without merit.”
But Carlson’s complaint quickly triggered a much larger wave of accusations.
More than 20 women eventually came forward with similar allegations against Ailes, describing harassment that stretched back decades.
Within weeks, the situation escalated into one of the most explosive scandals in cable news.
The fallout and a $20 million settlement
By July 2016, the pressure surrounding the controversy had grown too intense.
Roger Ailes resigned from Fox News less than a month after Carlson filed her lawsuit. Although he denied wrongdoing in his resignation letter, his departure marked a major turning point for the network.
Not long after, Fox News chose to settle Carlson’s legal case.
In September 2016, Carlson received a $20 million settlement, one of the largest known payouts tied to workplace sexual harassment claims involving a single individual.
The network also issued a rare public apology.
Fox News said it “sincerely regret[ted] and apologize[d]” that Carlson had not been treated with the respect and dignity she deserved.
For Carlson, however, the settlement was not just about the money.
She made it clear that she wanted to move forward with a new mission.
From television anchor to activist
After leaving Fox News, Carlson began reinventing herself.
She wrote a book titled “Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back,” sharing lessons from her experience and encouraging women to stand up against workplace harassment.
Her story also became the subject of major film and television projects.
In the 2019 movie “Bombshell,” Nicole Kidman portrayed Carlson in a dramatized account of the events surrounding the Fox News scandal. That same year, Naomi Watts played Carlson in the miniseries “The Loudest Voice,” which explored Roger Ailes’ rise and fall.
Carlson herself, however, remained limited in what she could say publicly about the events. As part of her settlement with Fox News, she had signed a nondisclosure agreement, preventing her from discussing many details of the case.
Instead, she focused on advocacy.
Carlson eventually became one of the most vocal critics of nondisclosure agreements used in harassment cases.
In 2019, she co-founded the nonprofit Lift Our Voices, an organization dedicated to eliminating NDAs that silence victims of workplace misconduct.
She also brought her campaign to Capitol Hill, testifying before lawmakers about how forced arbitration and secrecy agreements can prevent victims from speaking out.
Her efforts helped lead to the passage of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which Congress approved in February 2022.
The following month, President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law during a public ceremony attended by Carlson.
For her, the moment represented something much larger than a personal victory.
It marked a turning point in how workplace harassment claims could be handled across the country.
Where Gretchen Carlson is today
Nearly a decade after leaving Fox News, Gretchen Carlson has taken her career in a completely different direction.
Instead of returning to television, the former anchor has focused her energy on advocacy and public policy, working to change how workplace harassment cases are handled in the United States.
In 2019, Carlson co-founded Lift Our Voices, a nonprofit organization created alongside fellow former Fox News personalities Julie Roginsky and Diana Falzone. The group campaigns to eliminate nondisclosure agreements and forced arbitration clauses that often prevent victims of workplace harassment from speaking openly about their experiences.
Her work quickly moved beyond advocacy and into legislation.
Family life away from the spotlight
While Gretchen Carlson’s professional life has often played out in public, she has kept much of her personal life relatively private.
Carlson has been married since 1997 to sports agent Casey Close, a partner at Excel Sports Management. Over the years, Close has represented several prominent Major League Baseball players, building a successful career in the sports industry while Carlson rose through the ranks of television news.
Together, the couple share two children, a son named Christian and a daughter named Kaia.
Despite the intense public attention that followed her lawsuit against Fox News, Carlson has largely shielded her family from the spotlight. In interviews, she has occasionally spoken about the importance of maintaining balance between her professional mission and her role as a mother.
